Recovering from Injury… the MENTAL side of it! and 3 random things.

1. Billy got me the coolest bday present. They are called StickyGrams and they allow you to make fridge magnets out of your Instagram photos. Since I am beyond addicted to Instagram (HUNGRYRUNNERGIRL) I was a little too excited about this present.

2. The toy of the day is the lamb. It hasn’t left her sight yet.

3. I think we should all start buying Easter candy so I don’t feel so alone because I am already searching for my favorite Easter candy.

I read THIS article from Competitor and it is perfect so I wanted to share their main points and what I did during injuries to recover mentally! (I don’t know what is happening in the below picture but it looks like we are injured so just go with it.)

‘An injury is the runner’s ultimate test in mental toughness; don’t let an injury leave you wallowing. Get through it and let it prove just how tough you are.’

1. ‘Venting Frustration’ This was something I probably spent a little too much time on when I was injured with my femur stress fractures (um… I think I made my mom take me to Yogurtland 20 times and each time I vented to her like it was my job). I think it is important to allow yourself a few days to be sad and to talk and vent to other people before you can move on. It is normal to feel upset and frustrated when you are injured but it is your choice how long you allow yourself to mope. You can choose to be sad and angry or to do everything in your power to recover quickly and come back a stronger runner.

2. ‘Getting Proactive’ After I let myself mope for a while I decided I was going to do something about my situation. I was going to swim my heart out (in attempt to keep up my cardiovascular fitness). I really got into working my core and upper body (maybe I should try doing that again) and I did EVERY little thing that my physical therapist told me to do. I also spent the time that I wasn’t running to focus on other passions and hobbies that I don’t normally have the time to do when I am running a lot. “Down time from running while injured is an opportunity to address other weaknesses that, once improved, will ultimately make you a better runner.”

3. ‘In The Short Term‘ This one is HUGE in mental recovery. When my doctor first told me I would not be running for about 3 months because of my stress fracture I thought I was going to pass out. THREE MONTHS! How in the world could I go that long without a sweaty run?! Instead of thinking about three months I decided to just take one day at a time. Try thinking that you just have to cross train today and take it day by day rather than thinking about having to survive working out on the elliptical for the next three months.

4. ‘Looking Long Term‘ It is so easy to get reinjured after coming back from an injury if you try to get back into running too quickly. Take the time that you are injured to come up with a plan to get you back to your old self safely. Read everything you can, talk to other runners, ask your doctor and play it safe for when you DO get to run again.

5. ‘Come Back Stronger‘ Be a bouncy ball!!! You have the choice to bounce back from your injury or be a rock and hit the ground and stay there. I talk more about my bouncy ball theory HERE:) When you get injured you can decide to come back a stronger runner or let the injury defeat you. I spent time reading about my favorite runners that went through crazy injuries (and it is their job to run) and how they came back stronger and SMARTER after their injury. I am pretty sure that almost every runner that has been running for a considerable amount of time has had an injury, it is kind of part of the game but it is up to you how you handle the injury!

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How did you mentally recover from any injuries that you have had? Was your injury pretty mentally hard on you?

What are some lessons that you learned from past injuries?

Ever had a Ghirardelli square? Favorite kind?

-Milk chocolate with carmel in the middle.

How often do you get on Instagram? Instagram fan?

-I can’t tell you because I am embarrassed about how often I check the gram.

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95 comments

Alina

Yeah–I try to pretend that I was never injured. I don’t know if this is a good thing–since it’s technically denial. But I feel like if I think too much about my injury then I’ll be too worried about getting re-injured and won’t push myself as hard physically.

We love Sticky Grams too! Our fridge is full! Also check out the Magnegram app– it allows you to add captions and backgrounds, colors, etc. to your magnets– they are super cute! Our fridge is like one big Instagram collage, haha!

Oh my gosh those sticky grams are so neat! I’m a little too excited about your present, since you shared that fun factoid.
Ah that brand of chocolate rocks! Have you tried the dark chocolate with sea salt. Amazing!
Great article! I think the mental part of an injury is the hardest to overcome! When I was a swimmer, it was so tough when I got injured and had to sit back and not compete.
Venting was a major one for me, and definitely getting proactive!

Janee

I’ve been running for five weeks since my femoral stress fracture and I still think it affects me mentally. I just keep thinking my leg is going to start hurting again anytime. For me, cross training hard while I was not running helped me mentally more than anything. I knew that if I worked hard at something else than I could come back as strong as I was before.

I once broke two metatarsals in my foot and kept running for 3 weeks before deciding to address “that weird, really bad pain” in my left foot. Yeah… that sucked. BUT I did come back as a stronger and better runner!
What a creative gift and yes, I’m also an instagram lover!

I`m just so glad I`m over my injury and I have started my year by running safe mileage only so for an am now slowly, slowly stepping it up. I thought I wasn`t a candidate for “slowly” but I keep myself occupied with schoolwork when I don`t run and all is good. I love brooke`s hairstyle! Coincidentally it`s a lot like mine ;) after cutting my hair too short to put it in a ponytail for working out… haha.

I have honestly never struggled with a serious injury in over 10 years of running (knock on wood!) I’m sure it is so tough! Love instagram! I check it several times a day… probably not a good thing haha. And YES to ghirardelli!!! That, dove, and godiva are the winners in my book. Anything without fruit filling and I’m happy :-)

PS. I meant to tell you that I think your line about “taking it one day at a time” can be so helpful. That really applies to any life situation and helps you not get overwhelmed with something (I am going through something hard right now so it just spoke to me :-) Thank you.

I’ve been fighting piriformis syndrome off and on since July and it’s just painful. I had a terrible spasm almost two weeks ago and haven’t been able to exercise since. I can hardly sleep at night and it’s bad to sit at my desk all day – so much that I am getting a standing desk which will make me more comfortable.

I’ve learned to be patient and your body will heal when it’s ready. Listen to your doctor and PT, and if you’re still not feeling better, it’s okay to ask for a second opinion.

I love the white chocolate with the peppermint crunchies! I think the caramel one is pretty good too!

I’m on Instagram a few times an… Hour!? I know, nuts, but it helps break up my day when I’m looking at numbers all day long!

Love the magnets – such a great idea! Those would be awesome as favors for Brooke’s first birthday!

Janae, this post was exactly what I needed right now!
I was told I have a femoral stress fracture (just like you had) literally 2 days ago…
I was devastated, but I quickly pulled myself out of that depression and told myself I can use this opportunity to address why it happened, fix it by working with some amazing professionals, and come back a stronger and smarter runner and run my heart out!
Sometimes we need these little life experiences to teach us lessons we wouldn’t have otherwise learned :)

I’m trying to get stuck into my cross training, and work hard at that, so it gives me something to focus on and improve in while I can’t be improving on my running. It also gives me a chance to try new things, like swimming or deep water running…
and I really want to work on my core and get those abs coming though, so I can totally dedicate my time to that ;)

You’re in inspiration to injured runners for how you got though and now you’re running again and healthy and happy! :D

Gina

I just ran my first 10 mile run since my femoral stress fracture last fall-yay! It was so hard mentally to get past the injury especially since it happened during marathon training with my BRF’s! But I did some deep water running, lots of elliptical & cross training. I’m so happy to be back training for a half marathon in April!

So nice to chat to someone who’s been where I am!
Oh congrats, honestly, on that 10 mile run; that’s so inspiring you’re back on your feet and doing what you love. I hope to be there again later this year, and it’s what’s getting be through :)
Did you start cross training striaght away, or did you rest it for a bit completely?
How long until you were running again? I know it’s a gradual return :)
and also, considering bringing deep water running into my cross training… what did you think of it? i know it’s not running, but is it still a good cardio workout?!

Kloe x

Gina

Hang in there Kloe- Deep water running was interesting, but I do think that it helped with cardio and maintaining the running motion, just without the impact. I actually didn’t find out that it was a stress fracture until 4 months after the injury when I finally had an MRI! Over those 4 months I would cross train; bike, swim, elliptical, body pump & occasionally try to run only to have it hurt again. I was able to do everything except run; the impact of the stride was the only thing that hurt. Once I found out what was wrong it was on the mend & I started running more routinely within a few weeks. My chiropractor has been doing cold laser treatment on my hip for about 2 months now & it has really helped it heal.

I have learned how to cross-train like a boss. I’ve done almost every form of cross-training possible during this whole surgery ordeal. I need to be smart if I run again… My surgeon just gave me the okay to cross train and I’m nervous to even step back on an elliptical right now (two weeks post-op). Fingers crossed.

What are some of the best “bounce back” stories you found via internet? Or articles? I really need some encouragement.

I’ve never had many big injuries but I took a really hard fall this weekend during my run and twisted my ankle and busted my knee- I’m limping around and am super concerned I won’t be able to run the Napa marathon in 10 days. Trying to be positive but am feeling pretty devastated right now. Wahhhhh

I’m kind of addicted to Instagram too and I’m basically checking it every 20 or 30 minutes to see what’s new… Orrrr whenever I’m bored and waiting in line. Have you heard of Prinstagram? It’s a site that will print out your Instagram photos and you can make them into calendars, stickers, books, and posters too. I’ve known a few people who used that site and said the quality was really great!

I tore my ACL, sprained many ankles and broke a few fingers playing basketball. It’s hard to recover and watch others do what you love and not be able to do it, too. Probably the best thing for me was the physical therapy. Whenever I was working on getting better I couldn’t help but feel that one day I would.
I love the squares with mint or caramel!
Brooke is so beautiful!

Lately I check IG an uncountable number of times each day. I love and subscribe to the bouncy ball theory ;) Come back stronger every time! My favorite ghiradelli squares also have caramel inside of them. And I got one in my Birchbox this month!!!

I read the same Competitor article, which I also thought was really helpful. I injured my right hip flexor training for the Chicago Marathon last fall and it still occasionally gives me trouble. I’m definitely working the “Get Proactive” and the bouncy ball by adding in lots of yoga to my training routine, which helps me strengthen and stretch all of my hip muscles, which should help prevent the injury from coming back. I learned not to back off of strengthening muscles besides my quads, hammies, and calves.

Runningwithscissors

I’ve had three pelvic stress fractures over the course of the last six years. I’ve learned not to run through serious pain which I did the first two times. I also did as you did, took the time to enjoy things other than running.
Mentally I took it one day at a time. When I was able to run again I was terrified that the pain would re-occur. I think the biggest help was to be able to read read read about professional runners that have “bounced” back stronger than ever. Nothing is permanent!!!!!
All chocolate is fabulous!!!

I’m working on coming back from a minor calf injury and it is so hard to be patient, especially when I still hope to run Boston in less than 8 weeks. It’s hard to find that balance of being cautious to not get re-injured but also train enough to get through those 26.2 miles. Thank you for this post, it always helps to hear tips and know that others have gone through this too.

Kate

I had a pretty serious injury that required surgery where I couldn’t run, swim or walk without aid for a good few months so I worked with what I could- upper body! I’m now have a crazy strong upper body which I never would have spent the time on before.

heidi

I had a femoral neck stress fracture last year and am finally feeling pain free on my runs. when it first happened i cried and whined constantly. luckily i was able to avoid surgery and PT did the trick.

i learned that i simply cant run every day. i have to keep it 4-5 miles every other day and then do my long runs for my half marathon training in intervals on the weekend. i need recovery days. Ive also given up on speed and am happy with a 10 minute mile.

Turning 50 has made me reflect on a lot in my life lately. slowing every thing down has become important to me and seems to do the trick.

Ali

I want to 2nd the re-evaluation of how you train after a major injury. After my surgery, I discussed with my PT and a coach and we decided that I would only run 3 miles a week and 2-3 cross training days. Kind of like the FIRST method of training if you’re familiar with it. I love this way of running because every run is focused one something (tempo, speed, long run) and has a purpose and I love that my cross training strengthens my running!

Ali

OK this is totally cheesy but it’s truth-when I was going through my hip injury (torn cartilage in my hip from a fall while running) and then the surgery and rehab after, YOU helped me so much through the email contact that we had. It was so helpful to vent to you and then have you respond back with something positive because since you had been through a long injury process too, I believed the things you told me!

I also went and talked to a sports psychologist right before I had the surgery and she helped calm my fears about wondering if I would ever run again. And I am now so HAPPY ENDING!

Can’t pick a favorite between the mint filled dark chocolate or the salted, so I just have both!

Thanks for writing about coming back from injuries – when I read your blog, it sometimes seems like you come back from injuries extremely quickly, probably because I’m not the one being sidelined – I’m sure those bilateral femur fractures seemed to you to take FOREVER to heal. I’ve made a couple of comebacks too quickly in the past, only to be reinjured soon thereafter. Currently, I’m coming back from a stress fracture myself and I promised that I would really actually go slowly this time. And things are going well thus far, but it helps to be affirmed in my single-digit long runs. So thanks for affirming me by posting about recovery!

Misdiagnosis after misdiagnosis of the stress fracture in my heel was incredibly frustrating and prolonged the injury by months!
The one thing that got me through was establishing a determination to come back stronger than ever!

Kate @ Work in Progress

Definitely needed this post today! Six weeks ago I had arthroscopic surgery to repair a labral tear in my hip. I knew about the tear for several months before surgery and though I knew running would make the tear worse, cycling wouldn’t so I did that and was able to go into the OR super ft. But as of now I’m still not even allowed to exercise or walk very much since I’m still having pain. I knew the recovery would be long (3 months post-op till running), but my physical therapists think I’m a bit behind schedule – it’s tough when you can’t even cross train! But I have to take it day by day and remind myself that the reason I can’t XT is because I’m still healing, so that’s my job. In the meantime I just have to forget that I’m an athlete and think about other things – but also read about other athletes who’ve had to take crazy amounts of time off running to remember that it IS possible to come back!

Caitlin

Best Easter candy are the Snickers Peanut Butter Eggs. I know, they have Snickers PB candy all year, but something about the eggs- it’s the perfect ratio of chocolate to snickers to peanut butter.
I love Instagram (Caits615) and wish I had come up with it because it’s such a stupid easy concept and someone’s out there making millions off of it.

I am dealing with a knee injury and I was suppused to test it out today and I woke up sick. It took all of my will power not to go out there, but chills, cough, snd body aches plus two kids does not make it smart!!

I had a severe stress fracture in my hip ( it showed on x-ray) when I was 21 and it basically ended my running for a very long time. I should have had surgery however there was fears that years of poor eating ane overexercising would have made the surgery risky as far as putting any screws or pins in. So I lived with the caution that running until my bones improved would likely mean a more significant break. Ultimately it led me to racewalking, something that I actually found I could do very well, though it is funny looking. I even did a few national competitions. Now I am trying to get back into it and do a half marathon in May. I was going to run it but I have decided to plan to run a half in a year. My knees have not handled running at all. So freaky looking racewalking it is.

You couldn’t have picked a better time to post this. I’m going through my 2nd running injury since my start just a year ago. I have no idea what’s wrong this time. I was hoping rest and massages from the boyfriend would have been a relief. I don’t know how to deal with this. I feel like cross-training isn’t enough of a workout as running. And I get that “fat” feeling when I don’t run. I’m so frustrated and upset. I hope I can get through this sensibly.

Injury has definitely been tough on me mentally. Even when I thought I had it figured out and was thinking smart and optimistically, it seemed like I would learn something new and more devastating. Healing some hurts can seem insurmountable. I recommend that if you’re suffering injury that will heal, remind yourself of that – “It WILL get better IF I take care of it.” It takes time.

Ghirardelli dark scooping up peanut butter right out of the jar. That’s my favorite.

Favorite Easter candy would be Hershey’s candy-coated milk chocolate eggs. They are like mondo m&m’s or Kisses coated in a crunchy m&m-like coating. Totally addicting.

When I busted up an ankle on a trail run, toward the end of an awesome marathon training cycle (about a month before the race), I was pretty heartbroken. I think that the sudden nature of the injury kept me distracted at first – I was living alone, so everything was a challenge (getting ready for work, preparing food, packing my bag, etc.), and navigating on crutches all day was exhausting. Any time I started to wallow, I fell asleep.

After awhile, I went through all the common stages (anger, depression, acceptance – I think I skipped bargaining, because I knew it wasn’t worth it!). Ironically, I felt happiest when I could still be around other runners: coaching, organizing, staffing a waterstop, course marshal, whatever – so I did that as much as I could, until I could return as a runner. I know some injured runners think they’re better off staying away from their running friends/community, and that being nearby will be too difficult – but I’d beg to differ. I realized that the support of my friends, and the endorphins by proxy, were too important – and I always ended up having a blast and making some memories!

I’m actually recovering from surgery from Freiberg’s Infraction from a stress fracture I had a year ago. Case in point, it pretty much sucks. It is mentally hard on me as track is coming and I feel like I’m missing out on vital training and running is pretty much my life. A little lost right now. I want to cry. Some days I’m totally fine with it and know it will be very short until I get back going again and other days it feels like centuries I haven’t run and I start tearing up..oh goodness.

I did not follow my doctor’s rules recovering from my stress fracture the first time (I admit it now) and ended with a lump in my growth plate said to be Freiberg’s Infraction like I said earlier. I’ve really learned a lot, that doing something right the first time will lead to better results. If only I would of just listened to what my doctors told me and quit being a knuckle head.

I have to agree with you, chocolate and caramel is by far the best!

I am in love with Instagram, as well. Maybe a little too much.

Mia

I was seriously injured for over a year and it was so hard! I let my injuries get so bad, that i was unable to do almost anything, let alone run. I was in physical therapy, on medication, and having additional medical procedure all to little relief/results. It was defeating and i let it get the best of me, mentally and physically. I wish i hadn’t, but i think (i hope) i learned not to do this in the future. I also think I’ve learned/am learning a lot from it. I learned that taking care of yourself isn’t just about exercising, pushing yourself, and eating well. It’s also about listening to, and honoring your body. I’ve learned (thought i still struggle with this) that slowing down is okay. If all i can do somedays is run 3 miles in 30 min, and that’s my run, that’s okay. I’ve learned to pay attention, to listen, and to respect to all aspects that go into running, and there are so many more then just the legs. I’m still learning, and some days are easier then others, it’s a process.

I started resting my foot the middle of November. I rested it for 7 weeks, ran the Key West Ragnar and then rested again. My trip to the podiatrist proved that they don’t know why I’m not healing. I’m planning a procedure in March to break up the scar tissue. I’m hoping to run Wasatch Back. It’s been very hard and sometimes I have pitty parties, but then I get super excited again! I can’t wait to run without any pain!

I think that in both running/exercise AND injury recovery, the mental side of things is paramount. I recently spent two years trying to recover from various injuries and I felt so down and bad about myself, especially as I gained a ton of weight. Now I’m trying to recover my fitness and lose the weight, and keeping positive in my head is proving to be a huge challenge!

Kate

This post is so timely for me to be reading. I just got the OK from my PT to start running again after dealing with an injury. We’ve been doing exercises to make me a smarter/stronger runner (hopefully) and I have been itching to get out and start running again. Today I got my PT approved training plan and I get to do 1 mile of walking/running tomorrow…which sounds like peanuts! But I’m trying to stay focused on staying patient during this recovery/relearning period so I can be a better runner when all is said and done.

Kate

I don’t know if you have the time to read all your comments now that you’re chasing after that little cherub of yours, but I sure hope you read this. I read your blog religiously, but I never post. HOWEVER, I injured myself two days ago and I was sitting around feeling pretty sorry for myself (and let’s be honest, eating a lot of chocolate), so your post about injuries couldn’t have come at a better time. I am an extreme perfectionist and I have been really mad at my body for betraying me and breaking down on me. But after reading what you wrote, I believe I owe my body (and my husband for listening to me vent) an apology. It always seems like everyone else is running farther and faster than me, so being sidelined even for a little while is a huge blow to my ego. But now I’m going to focus on the short term like you suggested. Maybe I’ll take up Pilates or swimming. I don’t think I could do the elliptical because they’re right next to the treadmills in my gym and it’s probably not appropriate to stare and them and cry. Basically what I’m saying is THANK YOU. You’ve given me hope, you’ve helped me see the other side of things, and most importantly, you made me realize that being gentle with my body and forgiving its imperfections (including injury) is a necessary part of being a runner. Love you girl!!

luckily i haven’t had too many injuries. the last time i felt injured was after my first marathon. it took over 2 weeks before i could run again. it definitely takes patience. and i am a believer that there will ALWAYS be an alternate workout you can do. so just do those while you are being patient:)
as for the chocolte? my mom recently sent me a few different squares (she read my mind) dark with sea salt and caramel for sure!
don’t worry, we’ve already bought a bag of easter jelly beans. YUM!

This is a relevant topic for so many of us runners! I’m going on 3 months of no running because of plantar fasciitis. I’ve scoured your website on tips for dealing, and found your advice to use a night splint to be very helpful. I have an appointment today with the podiatrist to the Phila. Eagles. I miss running so bad!!! Thanks for this post.

I had surgery on my left ear on 1/29. I am allowed to walk on the treadmill at this point but getting above a speed of 3.5 isn’t happening. My ear is still packed (the packing comes out next Wednesday at 8 am…not that I’m counting down or anything). I was just getting back to running before my surgery. I hoped by pushing myself before I would 1. be able to recover faster 2. have the burning desire to be in the gym every day so I would bounce right back. Mentally I want to be there but physically it is very difficult. Nothing makes being on a treadmill more difficult than poor balance and occasional stints of vertigo. The most I’ve done is 22 minutes. I feel like it is the lamest workout ever done but then I think some people don’t even do that so I have that going for me. It’s an internal battle of being proud that I’m doing the work despite feeling like crap and then being annoyed that I didn’t even work up a sweat. It has been damp and cold in Ohio that past few days and it seems to make my ear ache more. On those days, I listen to my body and skip the gym. I don’t want to risk doing something I shouldn’t. I’m looking forward to my first “I think my eyeballs are sweating” workout!

Ghiradelli with caramel is my favorite too! They had a delicious peppermint one at Christmas.

I’m also obsessed with Instagram. I think I look like a crazy cat lady because my cat Braxton gets a lot of IG love!

Thank you for posting the points of that article!!! I had a pubic ramus stress fracture last spring (hello, the most amazing time to go running in NYC!!!) and had to be on crutches for THREE MONTHS. It was pure torture, I used to ride in a cab home from work every day watching the runners on the East River and would get insanely jealous. In the end though, it taught me two things 1. to not take my health for granted and 2. to not push myself too hard, to take it easy and gradually build up my endurance. My fracture was a combination of low vitamin D & calcium + taking Prednisone (I had chemotherapy and this was part of the regimen). The second I finished chemotherapy I went back to running full force and I don’t think my pelvis was a fan of that. Since then, I’ve gone to physical therapy and now I have learned exactly how to treat my body with more care. I’m happy you are injury free now – thanks for encouraging others! :)

Thank you for this post! I just got back from my ortho. I have been having on and off foot pain for a couple weeks and they diagnosed me with a stress reaction. All this about 3 months after developing and recovering from a stress fracture in the other foot. The doctor is putting me on a schedule to get back to running, but it’s so frustrating. It’s a wait and see game now, but it’s still so frustrating. I totally agree with all your tips.

Stephanie

I’m just starting to run again after 6 months off due to plantar fasciitis. The other night my foot felt sore again after my run and I just wanted to cry. Seriously? 6 months off and it’s still hurting? I’m pretty scared that I’ll never be able to run more than 5k without pain.

Oh well. Back to cycling and swimming. I am doing my first sprint triathlon in a couple weeks (with a 5k run). I never would have done it if not for getting injured, so there is definitely an upside to getting injured. As long as you don’t mope for too long, it can be an opportunity to try new things. :)

OMG Brookes rolls make me beyond happy. I have been lucky enough to not have any injuries really yet. A little plantar fascilia or however it is spelled but that is all. I have dealt with some NASTY blisters but that is all (knock on wood!)

I feel like a broken record echoing what so many have already said about injury. Mine was a broken foot in September and though now I can be thankful for what it gave me, I was initially completely depressed and cried at the mere mention of the word “run” for days.

The mental recovery has been extremely difficult – even though I’m not almost 6 months out, I am STILL afraid that any little pain means that it is broken (or breaking) again. Or that running just one extra mile on pavement will cause it to break again. I can’t get past the fear and that is the worst part. I miss not having to worry about anything when I was running.

On a happier note, I’m with you on the Ghiradelli – milk chocolate with caramel all the way.

Sarah

I got a stress fracture in my left tibia after running my first half marathon last September. I had trained so diligently for 4 months, ran it sub-2 hours which was my goal, and felt amazing afterwards. So amazing, in fact, that I signed up for another one that was just 8 weeks away the following day. I jumped right into training for the second one, and a few days in… BAM! Stress fracture. It was awful and I complained and cried and ate lots of cheeseburgers and drank a lot. Then I finally took my doctor’s advice and started working out again, weight training specifically to build up my leg muscles (since that was what he attributed my injury to in the first place, in addition to over-training) and while it took me almost 4 months to finally be able to run over 2 miles without pain, I’m training for another half right now and getting ready for my first full this fall. It seriously tests your mental toughness when you’re injured, and the tips you shared do a great job of explaining the anguish and disappointment runners feel when we have to give up all we’ve been training for!

Nicole

I have learned from injuries that you can’t expect to just jump right back in after! And, when you go back, it will take some time to build up stamina and speed! It’s hard to work so hard and then watch it go away! I love the milk chocolate with caramel in it!

That was great for me to read. I’m pregnant right now, and in a way it feels like being injured. *Sometimes* I get jealous watching other people do really hard workouts or comparing my pregnant self to my old self. Those are great tips for me too!

glad u liked my article and i loved reading your perspectives on those points! :) i think i found ur blog about the time u were JUST about to be able to start running after those twin stress fractures and i remember thinking how well u were handling things and being smart in ur come back. u’ve continued to be SO good about thinking long term with ur training…us runners usually have to learn things the hard way but luckily after ur fractures u’ve made it a point to learn that lesson just once. keep it up!

Erin

Yes! I am dealing with this now!! I commented a while back that I had some pain in my heel and was going to a doctor to get it checked out…..and it was a stress fracture :( I cried on the way home from the MRI place. My first thought was will I still run Boston this year?! I know it is so easy to get caught up in the short term and I definitely let myself fall into that trap many times (hence my injury). It has been about a month since I’ve run and although I am SOOO ready to get back out there I want to be good to my body!! I have definitely been focusing a lot more on core work, strength training and cross training and I feel that it has helped me to grow stronger and hopefully will make me a better runner in the long term. My pain is completely gone in my heel and I am going to the doctor again on Tuesday and crossing my fingers that he will give me good news. My dream is to run the Boston marathon but I don’t want to set myself up for a setback if I am not healed enough yet. There are always more races but I only have one body. As always, thank you so much for your posts, I can relate every time :)

Lynzie

This post is exactly what I needed today. I’m dealing with hip tendonitis which isn’t getting better with the physical therapy (have appointment scheduled with Doc next week. Hoping its not a labral tear). Haven’t ran in 2 months and feel very depressed/angry. I’ve cried several times, esp. after trying to run thinking that maybe its better now. I dream about running pain-free and I feel like I’m no longer myself when I can’t run. I’ve gained five pounds because I’m eating the same way I did when I ran and most of all I’m cranky! I keep asking myself why me? I’m not even a long distance runner. Farthest run was six miles and that was with breaks in between. I’ve only been running for 2 or 3 years. Plus if I see anyone else running, I feel extremely jealous. So, yes running injuries are depressing but this post has really helped me and I’m going to keep cross-training(cycling and ST). Hopefully Doc will help next week. Thanks so much Hungry Runner Girl! You make me feel much more positive now!

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